NEW TECHNOLOGIES | ARTICLE << Figure 4 >>
3D machining and sub-wavelength manufacturing Thanks to the non-linear nature of the ultrafast laser-matter interaction, the energy is locally absorbed wherever the laser spot is focused. In transparent materials, the laser can be focused anywhere inside the material and the energy can be deposited anywhere in the volume. Using this property, it is therefore possible to create three-dimensional structures with features below the diffraction limit as long as there exists a path for the etchant to penetrate in the laser-affected regions. See figures 2 and 3 as examples.
Opto-mechanical devices Although counterintuitive at first, fused silica is an interesting platform for developing integrated optomechanical devices. The use of an etching step and the localised energy deposition prevent the formation of surface defects, allowing the production of high-strength elastic elements such as flexures, comb-arrays, capacitors, sensors or force generators. Figure 4 is an example.
<< Figure 6 >>
<< Figure 5 >>
Photonics devices Femtosecond laser direct writing can be employed for waveguide networks and even complex polarisation converters, since polarisation can be successfully manipulated with the help of form birefringence associated with sub-wavelength gratings. See figure 5.
Micro moulding Micro moulding (figure 6) with this technology can be used for the cost-effective fabrication of elements such as active or passive components in MEMS devices, hydrophobic surfaces, cell-growth scaffolds or optical components such as micro lens arrays and gratings, with a high-aspect ratio capability. The three-dimensional capabilities of the process makes it suitable for the fabrication of micro moulds used for the fabrication of low-cost polymer replicas.
<< Figure 7 >>
<< Figure 8 >>
34 | commercial micro manufacturing international Vol 6 No.5
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